Altona Grange Hall fundraising to match grant for exterior renovation project

The Altona Grange Hall sits on a little over an acre on the corner of Nelson Road and North 39th Street. From its hilltop vantage point, visitors to this historic site can enjoy views that stretch all the way to the Flatirons on a clear day.

Yet few people may know the history of this unassuming, tidy building - or be aware that the 126-year-old structure is due for a facelift to restore its exterior to its 1895 origins.

This facelift is the latest project in a restoration effort that began in 2006 with the goal of reviving the grange hall as a community resource to be used by residents of the county. The Altona Grange site was originally designated a Boulder County Historical Landmark in 1999.

Altona Grange board member, Henry Poirot, said that during the recent removal of the building's old asphalt siding, which was thought to have been put in place in the 1950s, the building's original clapboard siding, a style of overlapping horizontal wood boards, was uncovered. The lumber was likely milled from trees in nearby Geer Canyon, at a sawmill located at what is now Heil Ranch.

The Altona Grange Hall, which was originally built in 1895, was started by a group of farmers as a meeting place for the Patrons of Husbandry, a state and national fraternal organization supporting farmers and ranchers after the Civil War. The original 24x50 foot building cost $350 to construct.

Today, the building costs a bit more to upkeep, though costs are mostly offset by renting the space for a variety of community functions ranging from weddings and music events to yoga retreats and community board meetings.

"People enjoy the space, and it's very affordable. It fits a lot of different budgets. That's the purpose of keeping it in shape and in restoring it, for the community to use it," said Poirot.

During a typical season, rentals of the hall are usually enough to keep the building up and running as well as to pay for small projects and normal maintenance. However, with decreased income in 2020 due to reduced rentals during the pandemic along with the upcoming exterior renovation project, Poirot said the hall found itself in need of a slightly bigger budget.

Luckily, the Boulder County Historical Advisory Board recommended the grange restoration project be provisionally awarded a $9,900 grant from Boulder County to fund the work.

To receive the grant from Boulder County, the organization will need to match the funds and complete the work on the project which includes replacing seven windows to their original size, adding new drain gutters, restoring historic signage, caulking, and giving the building a final coat of paint. The estimated total cost is close to $20,000. Poirot said the non-profit arm of the Altona Grange Hall, the Altona Preservation Alliance (APA) has raised about $300 to date.

At present, the APA is working to fundraise money to match the grant from Boulder County in order to complete the exterior renovation project.

As part of the fundraising efforts, the grange has been hosting a Wednesday evening Food and Flea Market from 3 to 7 p.m. The market, which runs through September, showcases local vendors with everything from vintage items to garden produce. Visitors can make a donation to the Altona Grange restoration project while perusing the market.

Poirot said that in addition to the individual and corporate donations which the APA hopes to secure in the coming months, rentals will continue to help match the Boulder County grant funding.

He noted that while maintaining and restoring the structure as a historic landmark is definitely important. But what really makes the Altona Grange Hall special is the fact that the community is invited to enjoy and utilize the historic property, unlike a museum or certain other national historic landmarks.

"That's part of our challenge - achieving that historical preservation and significance and also keeping it as a functional resource for the community," said Poirot.

There are three ways to support the Altona Grange's efforts to restore the building:

1. Send a tax-deductible donation to:

Altona Preservation Alliance, P.O. Box 28, Hygiene, CO 80533

2. Rent the grange for an upcoming wedding, work event, party, seminar, concert, or class

3. Visit the "open house" Food and Flea market each Wednesday through September 15

For more information or to rent the hall, visit: altonagrange.org